Carnival Cruise Line Rings in New Year Honoring Military Heroes

For the fourth year running, Carnival Cruise Line celebrated New Year’s Eve in New York’s Times Square, reaffirming its commitment to honoring military service members and their families.

The event featured Medal of Honor Recipients Jack Jacobs and Earl Plumlee, alongside National Medal of Honor Museum CEO Chris Cassidy and Carnival’s senior vice president, Sarah Beth Reno. On the morning of December 31, Plumlee took part in the Ball's lighting test, while Jacobs had the honor of activating the switch during the midnight countdown.

As the official cruise line sponsor of Times Square New Year’s Eve and a sponsor of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025, Carnival emphasized its dedication to recognizing military heroes. The cruise line hosts military appreciation events on all its voyages and supports numerous veteran-focused initiatives, including being a founding partner of the National Medal of Honor Museum, which is slated to open this March in Arlington, TX.

Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line, remarked, “As America’s cruise line, we’re proud to honor military heroes in Times Square while looking ahead to a pivotal year with the opening of Celebration Key on Grand Bahama, offering our guests their own slice of paradise.”